Two-Three Run Innings Propel Pioneers Past Seattle U in Series Opener

Batting

SEATTLE, Wash.— The Sacred Heart baseball team opened up its eight-game west coast trip with a 6-3 win against Seattle University at Bannerwood Park on Thursday night. The Pioneers (4-4) picked up the third straight win as offense racked up six runs on 12 hits and strong pitching held the Redhawks (2-6) to just three runs.

Junior Lefthander James Taubl earned his first win of the season, pitching seven sound innings for the Pioneers allowing two runs on six hits. He recorded seven strikeouts to just one walk. Sophomore Baylor Sundahl came on in relief for two innings, allowing just one run.

SHU wasted little time establishing a lead as they plated three runs in the top of the first inning. Shaw led off game with a single to right field, he would steal second and advance to third on a wild pitch. After Brown walked, Klebart cleared a single through the left side to pick up the first run of the game. Two batters later and two outs, Schock knocked in Brown on a single to leftfield. DeFilippo, batting in the seventh spot singled to centerfield to give SHU the 3-0 cushion.

The RedHawks threatened with one run in the first inning as Griffin Andreychuck singled to short and Sean Sutton walked; bringing up the cleanup hitter Aaron Stroosma to single through the right side to put them on the board. The Pioneer offense struck again in the top of the fifth with another three-run inning. Junior backstop Cody Doyle opened the inning with a single up the middle. He was followed by another single by Shaw. Junior Alex Perry executed the sacrifice bunt to advance both runners to second and third. Batting in the third spot, Brown pulled a double to right centerfield to bring in two runs for SHU. After Brown stole third and Klebart walked, Capozziello picked up the infield single past the reach of righthander Janson Junk for the 6-1 lead.

Taubl settled in retiring 10 straight batters before surrendering a leadoff double to Jake Taylor in the bottom of the fifth. Seattle would get another run off the leadoff home run by Jack Reisinger to bring the score to 6-2. Sundahl came on in the bottom of the eighth, retiring heart of the order with a one-two-three inning. The Seahawks started the bottom of the ninth swinging with back to back singles by Austin Lively and Reisinger. Cameron Sterne pinched hit for Jake Taylor and yielded a walk to load the bases. Curtis Perrin lifted a deep fly ball to centerfield to bring home Lively on the sacrifice fly. With runners on second and third and the tying run at the plate, Sundahl locked it down with back-to-back strikeouts to shut the door on Seattle's comeback attempt.

The Pioneers will play a doubleheader tomorrow against the RedHawks, game one is scheduled for 6:00pm EST.